Today we took advantage of a windy day to delve deeper into wind and air pressure. First we reviewed air pressure, which we touched on in our water cycle lesson two weeks ago. We made our high-pressure faces (puffing out
Weekly Summary: Natural Beauty – Neutrons – Nature Study
We started with reading a picture book “Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, a Life in Nature.” We discussed how Ansel Adams found beauty in nature in large picturesque scenes as well as in the tiny beauty of a single leaf. We
Weekly Summary: 3 Types of Rocks – Quarks – STEM
This week began with a story Nat. Geo Kids “Jump Into Science: Rocks & Minerals.” Thanks to all my helpers (Griffyn, Mike, Nicole, and my normal helper Kathy) we had the tables prepped with supplies. The book explained how the
Weekly Summary: plank to full body workout – Electrons and Neutrons – Gym
The BOKs program called for planks today and we did find a fallen tree to do planks and pushups on. However, most of the rest of the lesson will have to be done another time as it was just too
Weekly Summary: Popsicle Stick Shelves/Art – Quarks – Art
Loaded with a bevy of rainbow colored popsicle sticks and a gallon of glue, we began building hexagonal wall shelves. Turns out it’s tricky to keep all 15 layers of the sticks aligned, evenly spaced, and angled! I love how
Weekly Summary: Seeds – Neutrons – Nature Study
This week we celebrated the impending return of spring and the power of seeds. We found a quiet spot and read Maybe You Might by Imogen Foxell. The group settled down after a rambunctious indoor day and seemed drawn in
Weekly Summary: Rain and the Water Cycle – Quarks – Nature Study
Today, in honor of the weather, we delved into rain and the water cycle. We began by discussing wind and air. I told them there was, at that moment, a low pressure system over Chicago. We made silly faces for
Weekly Summary: 3D Snowflakes – Quarks – Art
Today we made 3D snowflakes, 6 pieces of origami paper that required being folded into a triangle, drawing guidelines, cutting, curling, and taping. Definitely a bit labor intensive, but all the kids have it s good effort! Some finished with
Weekly Summary: Ice Melting Experiment – Electrons and Neutrons – STEM
This week, the Neutrons and Electrons did a hands on experiment with melting ice. We started out creating hypotheses about which substance melts ice best, then each set to work testing our substances using pipettes to melt ice cubes. Substances
Weekly Summary: Muons – Writer’s Workshop
We wrapped up the wonderful world of summary writing by reviewing the criteria of successful summaries: Conciseness, Accuracy, Balance, Independence, Neutral (CABIN). I wrote three unsuccessful summaries and invited the Muons to read and evaluate them. There were great comments